Alex Lau
Staff Photographer Emeritus
Alex Lau is a freelance photographer based in New York City. Originally from Queens, New York, Alex moved to San Francisco when he was 12 before returning to the East Coast to attend a journalism program at Emerson College. A true muti-hyphenate, Alex has at times studied jazz, trained in competitive swimming and weight lifting, and worked as a celebrity dog-sitter. It was by chance, after a Hail Mary application for a summer internship to work with Bon Appétit’s visuals team, that Alex solidified food photography as his primary source of interest.
He followed that internship with one at Boston Magazine, working as a digital writer and photographer. Upon returning to New York, he was offered staff roles at both Food & Wine and BA, and we eventually welcomed him back as our new staff photographer. Alex left BA in 2020 to pursue a broader scope of projects; check out his most recent work at 2dcreative.com.
Rotisserie Chicken Stew with White Beans
If you’re not following our weekly meal plan and not making the Grilled Cheese (though you really should; it’s delightful), which you need wheat bread for, use country loaf or sourdough bread, crusts removed, for optimal breadcrumbs for this chicken stew recipe. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Crispy Thai Chicken Salad
A half a cup of olive oil may seem like whoa, too much, but that's the key to crisping up the chicken.
Grilled Pimiento Cheese with Apple-Cherry Chutney, I Mean, How Could You Not
We apologize to all other grilled cheeses out there for feeling a little less special now
Chicken Pot Pie with Acorn Squash
Sauerkraut is our new secret flavoring weapon. It adds a little bit of acid and funk, and this chicken pot pie recipe proves there are so many other uses for it than a hot dog topping. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Ginger Cashew Chicken Curry
Instead of chicken, this curry recipe is really good with boneless pork chops. Cut into ½" pieces and proceed as written. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Lemony Chicken and Rice Soup (Avgolemono)
It’ll take a couple of hours to make the homemade broth and cook a whole chicken (your house will smell amazing) for this soup recipe. If you’ve had a long day, use 2 quarts store-bought broth and shredded meat from a rotisserie chicken. Whatever method you choose, use the chicken breasts to make this amazing salad with crispy rice. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Minestrone Soup with Acorn Squash
If you don’t happen to have or particularly enjoy pastrami, bacon or pancetta would be a delicious substitute for this minestrone recipe. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Spicy Pasta with Shrimp and Tomatoes
For a hearty vegetarian version of this pasta recipe, use squash, mushrooms, or eggplants in place of shrimp.
Butternut Squash Cacio e Pepe
Think of this butternut cacio e pepe recipe as pasta cacio e pepe...with sausage. It’s comfort food-y, so it could use some fresh greens and/or veggies to help balance it out. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Herbed Chicken Salad over Crispy Rice
As you’re crisping the rice for this chicken salad recipe, the leeks and carrots may look very dark. Don’t be scared or angry at us; the veggies aren’t burnt, they’re just deeply caramelized and will add lots of flavor to the final dish. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Pastrami Fried Rice
This is going to seem like a lot of oil, but you really need it to a) crisp up the rice and b) make it seem like fried rice and not a rice pilaf. To that end, you can’t use freshly cooked (meaning, still warm and moist) rice for this recipe. If you do, it will get gummy in the pan and won’t crisp. Day-old rice is ideal, or you can quickly dry out a just-made batch. Spread rice on a sheet tray and put in a low oven 5–10 minutes. Let air-dry for about 1 hour and up to 5. Seems nitpicky, but worth .…
Halibut Foil Packs with Chile Butter
Turn this halibut recipe into a dinner bowl by serving the fish and veggies over any warm grains, like rice or barley. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Miso Caramel Apple
The caramel in this recipe is chewy, so it will stick to the apple but won’t turn into a hard shell when cooled.
Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Walnut Romesco
The smoky sauce and mix of spices in this meatball recipe complement lamb perfectly. It would be great with ground beef too, if that’s more your thing.
Cranberry Chutney With Orange, Figs, and Mustard
If using frozen cranberries, which are just as good for this recipe, don’t bother thawing them first.
Oat and Apple Pancakes
This apple pancakes recipe features a serving of whole grains and produce that you get to pour maple syrup over. Yes please!
Cacio e Pepe Chips
Cacio e pepe works on so many things, this chips recipe is just our latest obsession with using the whole flavor combination.
Buckwheat Banana Cake With Yogurt-Espresso Frosting
Earthy, nutrient-rich whole grain flours give this classic banana loaf cake recipe some added personality.
Alt-Grain Porridge with Kimchi and Jammy Eggs
Kimchi gives this porridge recipe a spicy twist, while the 6-minute egg keeps it hearty and perfect for breakfast.